Robbers scared off by Surbiton boxer

Three young men, armed with a baton and a wine bottle, were frightened away after attempting to rob and injure the managing director of a local estate agent.

Keen boxer

The managing director of Mountford Lettings and keen boxer, Adam Piggot, was spotted by the ‘comic strip’ threesome as he parked his Mercedes on a Surbiton side street to withdraw £5500 from the bank.

“One of the three had an extendable baton and another had an empty wine bottle. I made for a side street and they surrounded me,” said Mr Pigott.

Very anxious

“We got into a scuffle and they ran off, I was left with a few scratches and a ripped shirt but I don’t think they were expecting me to react.”

One of the group demanded; “Give me your money, mate” as they followed the twice weekly boxer and trained Rugby player from the bank.

Mr Pigott had just withdrawn £5500 from Surbiton’s Natwest branch to buy his daughter a new car and said he was feeling “very anxious”.

“There’s no way they knew how much cash I had on me,” he said.

Played rugby for 34 years

“I think I was targeted because of their perception of a grey haired guy in a suit driving a nice car. What they didn’t know was that I played Rugby for 34 years and that I have just returned from climbing Mont Blanc.”

Mr Pigott described his attackers as looking ‘out of place for Surbiton’ they have all been identified as Asian men between the ages of 18 and 20.

They were all wearing black clothing and one was wearing a shiny puffer jacket and had a goatee beard.

He said: “They were very amateur; it was like something out of a cartoon strip.”

Despite the common conception of Surbiton as a quiet, middle class suburb of London where few muggings and robberies are reported, a watch robbery also took place on the same day, Friday 14th October.

Quick escape

Two young Asian boys entered the Guess & Co. Jewellers at around 1pm and asked to view a £100 watch. While the member of staff was in the back, the boys swiped the watch left on the counter and made a quick escape.

Julia Robertson, a shop assistant from C’est Bon in Surbiton, was in the area on the day of these incidents said: “There was a bit of commotion. I saw a short boy in dark clothing dash towards the train station. I hope this doesn’t continue.”

The Metropolitan Police are continuing to investigate these incidents. If anyone knows any information please contact Surbiton police on 0208 541 1212.